1. Field of the Invention
This invention concerns the counting of items and simultaneous marking of said items during counting, and further relates to apparatus for accurately achieving said simultaneous counting and marking.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In the course of conducting business activities, it is often necessary to take an inventory of items in storage as on shelves or in bins, racks or other storage systems. The counting of items of similar or identical appearance can be a tedious chore and subject to considerable error, particularly if the items are subject to movement in the course of the counting operation.
To enhance the accuracy of counting, one technique involves the marking of an item at the instant that it is being counted. Devices for the simultaneous marking and counting of items have earlier been disclosed, as for example in the following U.S. Patents:
U.S. Pat. No. 4,993,050 to Carpenteri, et. al., discloses a counter/marker apparatus comprising a head assembly counter mechanism and attached first elongated sleeve. A second sleeve, portioned within said first sleeve for axially slidable reciprocal motion therein, is adapted to carry a marking pen. Relative movement between said sleeves causes activation of a switch which registers one unit of count upon said counter mechanism. A restoring spring urges the tip of the marking pen forwardly.
Although the Carpenteri, et. al., apparatus is based upon sound general concepts, one of its shortcomings is that, as indicated at column 2, lines 50-53, the tip of the marking pen must be displaced rearwardly by at least 1/8 inch to activate the switch. The problem is that, if the pen is not displaced rearwardly by at least 1/8 inch, a mark will be made on an item but no count will be made. It is also possible that, if the travel of the pen is not a pure reciprocal harmonic motion, as a result of a pause or axially transverse wiggle, more than one count may be registered with a single marking.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,726,044 to Perna, et. al., discloses a counter/marker device in the form of a ball point pen having a movable ball point that is passed upwardly in the direction of the housing of the pen when a mark is made. Such upward movement closes a switch which activates an electronic counter. A second switch, activated by gravity, resets the counter for counting the next mark. The Perna, et.al., device will only function in marking substrates that are downwardly disposed. Also, there is no assurance that the counter is activated even though a mark has been made.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,048,478 to Miwa, et. al., concerns a pen-shaped marking apparatus with electronic counter. The apparatus utilizes a single push button type of switch to activate the counter.
U.S. Pat. 4,295,038 to Kreinbrink, et. al., discloses a pen-shaped marker connected by an electrical conductor to an otherwise separate counter device. As in the foregoing devices, there is no fail-safe provision to assure that, for each mark, there is a single count.
U.S. Pat. 4,532,642 to Morris, et.al., discloses a counting stamper apparatus. A switch, mounted in the handle of the apparatus, is contacted by the upwardly directed stamping element to activate an electronic counting circuit.
It is accordingly an object of the present invention to provide a marking and counting device which will infallibly register a single count for each mark.
It is a further object of this invention to provide a device as in the foregoing object which can be employed in any attitude of use.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a device of the aforesaid nature which is of compact construction and easy to use.
These objects and other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description.